Beer-dispensing apparatus.



F. SCHNEIBLE.- BEER DISPENSING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED APR.29. 191s.

Patented June 13, 1916.

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' F SCHNEIBLE. BEER'DISPENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1915.

1 ,1 86,948 I Patented June 13, 1916.

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' nated.

warren s'rarns PATENT orrron.

FRANK SCHNEIBLFLOF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR ,TO 0. A. SCHNEIBLE'INQ, OF NEW 7 YORK, N. Yl, A. CORPORATION" OF NEW YORK.

BEER-DISPENSING APPARATUS. 7

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented une 13, 1916.

Application filed April 29, 1915. Serial No. 24,637.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK SCHNEIBLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, of the city of New York, in the State'of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beer-Dispensing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a par-thereof.

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing beer and is concerned not only with the improvement of such a system as a whole, but also with many details of the component elements of the system, whereby a more'eflicient, reliable and sanitary apparatus of this kind is-secured than any now 7 available.

More particularly, the invention seeks to bring into effective relationship the source of supply for the beer, an automatic cut-ofi for the source of supply when the latter is exhausted, a measuring container for the quantities of beer to be dispensed, and the controlling faucet for the dispensing. The present tendency in the art is to construct apparatus of the general character referred to in such form that the operation thereof shall be automatic so far as possible,

in order that the time of the attendant will be saved and his errors in operating the ap paratus and dispensing liquid, be elimi- In keeping with these considerations, it is the object of this invention to provide a system for dispensing beer or the like which shall include an automatic cut-. off for the beer between the source of supply and the faucet and operable whenever the source of supply becomes exhausted, to prevent the flow of gas, foam, sediment, etc. to

the faucet,this automaticcut-oif having in association therewith a simple valve which may be operated manually by the attendant at the time the sourceof supply is exhausted, to place the dispensing system in commum cation with a fresh sourceof supply.

7 Theinventionis further concerned with the control of the liquid discharged, through the interpositionbetweenthe automatic cutoff and the faucet, of a measuring'vessel, or

vessels, by which predetermined'quantities of liquid may be drawn off by simple opera' tion of the faucet, or measured quantities of a liquid of some predetermined composition can be dispensed. Not only .does the improved measuring vessel referred to possess the general characteristics described, but

it is of a generally improved construction and has incorporated therein many desirable features of construction which will be pointed out more particularly as this description proceeds.

-Whi1e this vessel has been and will be referred to throughout as a measuring tank it is of importance to note that it is so coir structed that its character as a measuring.

Other objects of the invention willappear hereinafter, reference now being. had to the accompanying drawings for a detailed description of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a fixture in which'is included a coil box for the coolingof the beer and on which are mounted in convenient positions, the single valve control for two independent sources of supply, an automatic cut-off for such sources of supply, an improved measuring tank, and j an improved dispensing faucet. Fig. 2 is. a view in horizontal section taken through the coil boX illustrated. in Fig. l and showing particularly the improved measuring vessel and faucet, a portion of the measuring vessel being broken away to show certain details of construction. Fig. 3 is'a detail view on a' somewhat larger scale taken on the plane "indicated by the line 8'3 of Fig; 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the applicationof the improved faucet to its supporting'wall,*suoh; as the wall of the coil box shown in'Figs. land 2. Fig. 4: is a detail 'view ofthe'i improved faucet taken-on the plane indicated by the line4 4 of Fig.3 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5"is a fragmentary detail view in horizontal section and on a somewhat larger scale. of one end of the measuring vessel shown'in Fig. 2.. Fig. 6 is a detail view taken on the plane indicated by the'line 646' s n and bakin a the daemon ofthe arrows, and showing particularly the plug valve for controlling the liquid bypass in the end Wall of'the container. Fig.'7' is a sectional view in'ldetailof the auto matic cut-ofi". 7 '1 -Before describing: in detail; the special" features" of -the invention which are con cerned' with the improvement of details of some of the component elements of the improved system, the system as awhole willv be described and the physical and functional relationship of parts pointed out. "The bar fixture a, whichrwill hereinafter be termed simply the coil"box,'-may support onone side thereof within easy; reach of an at- "tendant a simple valve plug b. by which the flow of beer; fro ntwo independent sources V V of supply, represented as twopipes c'and d,-

to thejsupply line 6, may be controlled. The

supply-line ecommunicates in turn with an ziLIlJOITIalHCCHt-Off f of some such character it Q aas' isflillustrated in U. S. ,Patent No.

1,133,4l 05,dated March 30, 1915 which may a lso be mounted conveniently on the coil box a and may have formed .in the bottom thereof-a valve controlled vent g,through which gas, foam, sediment and otherjobnoxious elements maybe withdrawn prior tothe'connection ofthesupply line e with the dispensing pipe it. "An automatic cutofi suitable for the purpose is illustrated .in

detail finiFig; 7 ,-.altho;ugh it will appear hereinafter that the advantageous cooperationfbetween thecut-off and the measuring tank canbe secured without regard to the particular character of either of these elements, so long as each functions automati-. ically under the'influence of the beer therein. "The automatic' cut off shown in Fig. 7

comprises afcylind'ricaltank f into the upper end of which beer is discharged from'a pipe 7? which 'may be. placed in communication. with the supply pipe 16 throughthe hand-valve f NVithin the'cylinder f? is a 'fioatj? which carries on its lower end a -;,'valve f adapted' tofseat on an outlet passage ,f in the bottom of thecylinder, this tag " .passage f beingadapted to be placed in communication; withthe dispensing pipe h I byineans of the hand. valve f? at the time the l supply pipe 6 is placed in communicathe supply pipe 6 tofthe, dispensing pipe in so long as there is aplentifullsupply of beer; However, when the .beeris. about exf haustedits level in the cylinder f" will, drop so, as to permit the valve f to seat and cut off the pressurefrom the pipe h. The dispensing pipe 7 may pass through'the coilbox a and "have the liquid therein continu ally cooled by a supply of ice,in the usual. manner, and communlcate at its end with the improved faucet indicated generally at In the body of the faucet i are formed threaded sockets i with which are engaged threaded shanks h and 7c, the shank h" be ing coupled with the supply pipe 72, by a suitable union nut if. The shanks 7c are in communication with the supply shank h" through passages i formed in the body of the faucet i and controlled by a four-way cock l in which are cut arcuate channels Z, these channels permitting the passages 11 to be placed separately in communication with the nozzle 2' of the faucet i, it being clear from Fig. 3fthat when one of the passages I i is thus placed in communication with the nozzle i the other passage 2' is simultanewith the supply shank h. Conversely, when the cock Z is moved manually, as through the handle Z through a quarter turn, the communications are merely reversed with respect to the passages re ferred to.

Each of the return shanks is is coupled throu h a union nut with a short in k the end of which isplaced in communication wlth one end of a measuring vessel m from which the beer may be dispensed in meas- 9 ured quantities. Slidably disposed within the vessel on is a liquid tight piston a by which the beeris alternately forced from one end of the vessel m to the nozzle 2' and then from the other end of the vessel to the ously placed in communication by the cock Z nozzle 2' depending upon the direction of travelof the piston n, the piston being actuated under the pressure of the source of supply of the beer. main cock Z is placed in theposition illustrated in Fig. 3 with the supply pipe 71 in communication with one of the return passages lc a supply of beer will be forced into the right end of the measuring vessel m and the piston a forced thereby to the left, the beer in the vessel m simultaneously being forced out of the left endof the measuring vessel m, through the other return passage 70 and out of the nozzle F. If, during the travel of the piston, the beer in the keg is about exhausted, the valve f will seat and cut off the pressure from the passa e and )i 3e h in the manner hereinbefore described and the travel of the piston will thereby be arrested 3 instantaneously. When a fresh keg is connected in the line and communication reestablished therewith, the piston 11 will continue to, travel in the tank in the samedirection, so that the next For instance, when the i a keg of fresh beer has been connected to each of the supply'pipes 0, (Z, and that the attendant has so manipulated the simple valve plug Z) as to place one of these-kegs in communication with the supply pipe 6. The attendant will then vent the gas, foam and other obnoxious elements in the system through the vent g until the beer in proper liquid form is discharged.- Upon the closing of the vent g the supply line it will be in communication with the pipe 6 through the automatic cut-off and, the,

cock Z being in such position as to establish communication between the supply pipe h and one of the return pipes 79 fresh beer will flow into the measuring tank 11?, and force the piston n to the end of the tank where it will seat on an inwardly extending port m formed in each end wall of the vessel m. For reasons which will appear later, it is desirable that the piston n should always come into liquid-tight engagement with the seats m at the extreme positions of travel and to this end, the piston is provided on each face with a rubber gasket n so disposed as to engage the seats m. vThe quantity of beer which flows into thev vessel m will, of course, be dependent upon the capacity of the vessel and is,.of course, predetermined in amount so that the attendant upon manipulation of the faucet will invariably draw off such fixed amount. With the tank m filled with liquid beer in the manner described, this beer can be discharged through the nozzle 2' by turning the cock Z through a quarter turn and thereby placing the supply pipeh in communication with the other return pipe 0 and the first named return pipe 76 in communication with the nozzle i the beer then flowing into the measuring tank m behind the piston n and causing thelatter to travel toward the opposite end. of the vessel and force the beer therefrom 'out through the nozzle i in a manner which will be clear. Further withdrawals of beer will be brought about by alternate reversals in the position of the cock Z.

- From the description given, it will be clear that the measuring vessel m'will always be filled with fresh liquid beer inasmuch as the automatic cut-off f comes into play automatically and shuts off the supply pipe h from the feed pipec at about the time when the particular keg with which the pipe 6 is in communication, is exhausted, thereby preventing the flow of foam, sediment or gas from the exhausted keg to the supply line h. As soon as the automatic cut-olf -thus closes communication with the source-of supply, no further beer can be withdrawn through the nozzle 2' The attendant meets the situation very readily'by V throwing the valve plug Z) to such position as to; place a fresh keg of beer in'co'mmunication with the supply line 6 through one' of the pipes 0, d, and venting the system, as

before, through the vent g. The fresh suphas been discharged when the automatic cutoff 7 interrupts"communication between the line it and the source of supply, the balance of the contents will be discharged as soon as communication is established with a fresh source of supply, thereby insuring that no loss of time orbeer will be suffered and that the predetermined measured quantity will 7 invariably be secured.

The character of the vsystem as a whole having been pointed out particularly and the devices for insuring its automatic operation having been described, it now remains to consider some of the important features of construction found in some of the elements heretofore referred to.

Provision is made in the improved measuring vessel for the continuous flow of beer from the'source of supply to the nozzle 2' thereby meeting those conditions of use where it is not required that measured quantities of liquid be withdrawn, butthat a continuous stream of beer be discharged without interruption. The measuring vessel m is formed as a cylinder and has threaded on each end a single casting 0 which constitutes an end wall of the cylinder and is provided with a main inlet channel 0 on which is threaded one of the return pipes 70? and which terminates in the inwardly extending seat m for the piston n as noted above. From this passage'o extends through the head 0 a by-pass channel 0 which also communicates with the interior of the cylinder m and has disposed therein a-valve plug for controlling the therefore never rests against the mouth of the by-pass 0 ,111 securing the continuous flow of beer, the: piston n carries oppositely opening check valves n? which are disposed in passages n extending through the'p'iston and are normally seated to close these passages by suitable springs a the tension 7 of which is suflicient to hold thevalves to the seats against the pressures opposed thereto, such as, the back 1 pressure of the beer and; the counter pressure created by the friction between'the wall of the vessel m and the contacting surface of the piston; The method of:bringing about the continu V ous flow of beer to the nozzle 2' can now be understood, When the piston n is seated on one of the ports m, no further outflow of beer from the cylinder can take place and that beer which is trapped between the end face of the head and the piston exerts a'suflicient counter pressure upon the I appropriate valve n to prevent the pressure of beer on the opposite side of the piston from overcoming thetension of the cor- I responding spring 41. and thereby unseat- -ing the valve. If theattendant now manipulates the by pas's'cock'p 'soas to open this 1 by-pass, as indicatedin Fig 5, the counter moved andthegnormal pressure of the syspressure of theentrapped beer will be reltem will be 'impressed'upon the appropriate Q valve nt'an'd this normal pressure will over come the tension of the corresponding spring a and unseat-this valve thereby permitting the beer'to flow directly .through {the controlled channel. a and through the by-pass 0 to thenozzle i This flow of beer? through the piston nv to the nozzle 'z'? Will continue. under the pressure of the system until the attendant closes the 'by-pass 0 by. means ofthe cock 7) and thereby establishes a suflicient counter pressure on the 'unseated .valveto cause it to seat under theactionof its spring a Continuedwithdrawals of beer can then be carried'on in the, manner first described, the

" vices for permitting all of the parts of the system, and particularly the faucet z, measuring vessel and all associated parts, to be cleaned. vIn, carrying out this object,

a threaded plunger q'is mounted in each head 0 of the cylinder min substantially coaxial relationship to, the" cylinder and with its inner end disposed within the inwardly extending channel m. Each of the plungersg can be screwed forward so as to extend into thecylinder m beyon'dthe face of i j the seat of the; channel m (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5) by means of a suitable hand wheel q arranged for manual manipulation1 by the attendant. ,During operation ofthe devices, of icourse, each plunger g. is preferably retracted to a position where it will not interfere withthe" free inflow of beer fthroughthe inlet passages 0. When the system is to becleaned one of the plungersq [ismoved axially-to the position indicated in dotted lines'in Fig. .5 so as to unseat *thepiston a. If a cleaning fluid is then introduced into the system at any convenient point, and underIpressure,-it will flow through the cylinder 'm, unseat 'one of the valves n and ,.continue in its passage through the corresponding channel n in the. piston and finally escape: through the nozzle i after having traversed all of the parts of the system.

The plunger 9 by the manipulation described can also be employed for unseating the piston n and permitting the continuous flow of beer to the faucet through the passage '0, in the manner described with respect to the bypass plug valve 39 and Without manipulation of this valve. In

this connection, however, it will be appreciated that the use of the by-pass is desirable for the reason that the plunger 9 and particularly the head thereof, being disposed in the moutlrof the passage 0, will tend to interfere with the free flow of the liquid. Conversely, it is to be understood that the by-pass 0 with the plug valve 7), will permitthe introduction of a cleaning fluid into the passages in the manner hereinbefore .described, without requiring the presence of the plunger 9.

Another feature, which is also concerned with the sanitary operation of a beer dispensing system is found in the construction of the faucet z' and the connections afforded between this faucet and the various pipes communicating therewith. It is usual to line the coil box a or corresponding container with metal,indicated at a, and it has been found that faucets and connections therewith which are usually made through the wall of the coil box and the sheet metal, either permit the direct leakage of the beer in the system or induce a sweating action which results, in an unsanitary condition and also tends to destroyiand mar the material of the box or its lining. In accordance with the present invention, the shanks 7c and h which are threaded into the sockets z" with which'the faucet 11 is formed in its rear wall,

are of sufficient length to extend entirely through the wall a and lining a of the coil box and afford ready connections at their inner ends, with pipes h and k as through union nuts 72, and respectively. These shanks hand 7c are also of such length as to receive on their inner ends a protective washer agwasher plate r and locking nuts r ,'by means of which the washer 1' is forced into firm engagement with the inner wall of the coil box a and the ornate faucet i is drawn into snug engagement with the outer wall ofv the coil box and maintained fixedly in such position. The support afforded the faucet z and the shanks 7c and h by the construction described may be such as to support the measuring tankm in its proper position without the use of independent supporting brackets, the whole resulting in a very simple, inexpensive and compact construction of a very accessible character and one susceptible of ready assembling and disassembling.

Modifications in the relationship of the elements ofthe system and'inthe details of construction of the component parts thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, but all such rearrangements and modifi cations are to be deemed within the spirit of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the appended claims.

. I claim as my invention: s 1. In beer dispensing apparatus, a measuring vesselfrom which measured quantities of beer can be withdrawn,- comprising a tank, discharge ports communicating therewith at each end thereof, a slidable piston disposed in the tank and movable from one end thereof to the other under the pressure of the system, valve-controlled passages formed through the piston, and a valve-controlled by-pass formed at one end of the tank for permitting the release of pressure so as to cause a continuous fiow'of beer in one direction.

2. In beer dispensing apparatus, a vessel from which the beer can be withdrawn in measured quantities, comprising a measuring tank formed with end walls, inwardly extending discharge ducts provided in said end walls, a piston slidably disposed within the vessel and adapted to move from one end ofthe tank to the other under the pressure of the system and to seat on said ducts alternately to cut off the discharge of beer, valve controlled by-passes formed in the head of the tank whereby the tank can be placed in communication with the discharge duct after the piston has seated, the piston being provided with channels therethrough, and oppositely seating check valves disposed in said channels, one of said valves being adapted to open under the pressure of the beer whenever the appropriate by-pass is opened.

3. In beer dispensing apparatus, a measuring vessel from which measured quantities of beer can be withdrawn, comprising a tank, discharge ports communicating therewith at each end thereof, a slidable piston disposed in the tank and movable from one end thereof to the other under the pressure of the system to close said discharge ports alternately, valve-controlled passages formed through the piston and means at one end of the tank to move the piston from its seat on the discharge port, whereby the pressure is released and a continuous flow of beer is permitted. 7

4. In beer dispensing apparatus, a vessel from which the beer can be withdrawn in measured quantities, comprising a measuring tank formed with end walls, discharge ports communicating with the tank through i said walls respectively, a slidable piston disposed in the tank and movable from one end thereof to the other under the pressure of the system to close said ports alternately, and plungers carried in the end walls and disposed in said'discharge ports and movthe vessel adapted to move from one end of the tank to the other under the pressure of the system and to seat on said ducts alternately to cut off the discharge of beer, the piston being provided with channels therethrou'gh,

oppositely seating check valves disposed in said channels, plungers threaded into said end walls and disposed in said discharge ducts and adapted to be moved axially to move the piston from its seat on the discharge ducts to release the pressure, one of the check valves in the piston being adapted to open under the pressure of the beer whenever the piston is unseated, whereby a con tinuous flow of beer is permitted.

6. In beer dispensing apparatus, a measuring vessel from which measured quantities of beer can be withdrawn, comprising a tank, discharge ports communicating therewith at each end thereof, a slidable piston disposed in the tank and movable from one end thereof tothe other under the pressure of the system, valve-controlled passages formed through the piston, a valve-controlled bypass formed at one end of the tank and communicating with the interior of the tank and with the discharge port, and a plunger carried by the tank and movable through the discharge port to move the piston from its seat on the discharge port, whereby pressure is released and a continuous flow of beer through the by-pass and the discharge port is permitted.

7. Apparatus for dispensing beer comprising two sources of supply, a measuring 'vessel from which measured quantities of portionate to the flow of beer into the tank, 7

a supply pipe leading from the automatic cut-off to the tank, and a faucet with which the tank communicates.

This specification signed this 28th day of April, A. D. 1915.

FRANK SCHNEIBLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for in cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. 0. 

